The 2009 School was a wonderful ten days from the 2nd to the 11th of January. The Eastern Institute of Technology Campus in the Napier suburb of Taradale was the ideal venue for a School of this dimension providing teaching rooms to accommodate 21 pianos, lecture theatres and performance areas for massed singing.
Once again, this, the 24th School was as good as the previous 23 as these comments from students attest…
81 students from aged 16 to 50+ came from all parts of New Zealand, including 8 from Australia.
Judy Bellingham (William Evans Senior Lecturer in Voice, Otago University) skillfully directed the School for the third time assisted by Robert Wiremu (Vocal Coach, Auckland University) newly appointed as Deputy Director.
New faces to make their mark as first timers to the staff -
The School was privileged to welcome back as tutors, vocal coaches, language coaches and accompanists - David Harper, Professor Terence Dennis, Dame Kate Harcourt, Irene Bartlett (Brisbane) Catrin Johnsson (London), Rachel Fuller (London), Glenese Blake, Flora Edwards, Lesley Graham, Peter Hind, Jane Keller, Janice Webb, Jenny Wollerman, Julie Coulson, Hugh McMillan, Susan Melville, Catherine Norton, Colleen Rae-Gerrard and Dr John Wells.
The Trainee programme continued for 2009 with Rebecca Cameron and Colette Alefounder as trainee tutors and Julia Horsnell and Paul Carnegie-Jones as trainee accompanists.
Several Observers attended the School to sit in on masterclasses and take part in massed singing.
A very busy ten days started off with the Oratorio performed at the Waiapu Cathedral of St John on Sunday 4th January where the full school performed three hymns, several soloists sang, with the School’s Director and a number of the Trustees narrating the Readings to celebrate the Feast of Epiphany.
The six In-house concerts were a feature of the school. The Campus lecture theatre was the venue for students to perform songs ranging from the serious to the not-so-serious, the beautiful to the bizarre; jazz, contemporary, music theatre and opera – all sung with aplomb to much applaud from fellow students, staff and the public.
Mid-week a selection of talented music theatre students took part in a cabaret at the Duke of Gloucester Tavern entertaining the large audience.
Later in the week the classical singers took to the stage at Napier’s Century Theatre impressing the audience with excellent performances of well known arias, Lieder and art song.
The final night concert included the full school singing the music theatre massed item Oklahoma!, the opera massed item from the Merry Wives of Windsor, the various music theatre and opera ensembles as well as many individual singers. This concert is the culmination and celebration of the previous nine days of hard work as well as a lot of fun.
The School day included three 2-hour classical and music theatre masterclasses, with the timetable structured to allow every student several 30 minute individual lessons with a variety of tutors, vocal coaches and English, German, French and Italian language coaches.
Lectures covered topics such as Vocal Health; the International Phonetic Alphabet; the Art of Auditioning; Practice makes Perfect; and The Tongue.
Audiences at all the concerts were left in no doubt that with the talent emerging at this School, the future of music theatre and classical singing is in good heart.
The staging of this biennial school would not be possible without the generous sponsorships, donations and Scholarships Grants provided by –
Scholarships to assist students to attend the School were provided by –
Achievement Awards given to students at the end of the School were provided by –
Full details of recipients of the 2009 Achievement Awards listed on 2009 Awards page.
The next School is planned for January 2011. Expressions of interest can be sent to: info@singingschool.org.nz